Elevating rack for beds



C. G. ALGUIRE.

ELEVATING RACK FOR BEDS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1921.

' 1,422,405. Patented July 11, 1922.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

CLIFFORD G. ALGUIRE, F MADISON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

ELEVATING RACK FOR'BEDS.

iaeaeos.

Application filed September 10. 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD G'..1\LGU1RE,

. citizen of United States,' residing at Madison, in the county of Lake and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevating Racks for Beds, of which the following is 1 a specification.

The invention has reference to attach ments for beds and provides an adjustable head capable of being adjusted vertically of a bed for supporting the occupant, thereof in an upright, sitting or inclined position.

an additional object is to provide an adjustable head or rest which can be set automatically at any angle between the horizontal and the vertical, thereby enabling any degree of inclinationto be obtained.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention may be said to reside generally in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates the head end of a bed with the invention applied thereto; and Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

In the drawings, the head posts of the bed are indicated at 1 and the side rails at 2. The invention comprises an auxiliary frame adapted to be mounted upon the side rails 2 and comprises a body frame 3 having a head frame i hingedly connected thereto, as is shown at 5. The auxiliary frame is provided with a spring body formed of longitudinally and transversely extending-wires 6 and 7, respectively, having spring coils 8 at their terminal ends. The longitudinally disposed wires of the head frame 4t terminate in spring coils 9 and 10 and are separate from the longitudinal wires of the main frame 3 but arranged in alignment with the latter; the adjacent coils of the aligned wires being connected by a transversely extending rod 11 inserted through loops at the ends of the spring coils as indicated to advantage at 12 in Figure 2 of the drawing. The ends of rod 11 are suitably supported in the knuckles of oint 5 and constitute the. pintles of the joint. The attachment straddles the bed stead as disclosed in the drawings and the head frame t rests on lugs 13 integral therewith and engaging each side rail of the bed, as shown in Figure 1. Lugs 13 normally support the head with its upper edge Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1922.

Serial No. 499,861.

parallel to the bed and in alignment with frame 3 thereby enabling the bedding to be arranged flat, as in the usual way. The head frame is adjusted by means of sectors 14 and 15 carried by shaft 16 which is supported between suitable bearings 17 mounted on the side rails of the bed. Each sector provides a support upon which the head frame rests when in adjusted position and when disposed in alignment with the body frame. Each sector is, moreover, provided with a tooth rack 18 at the arcuate edge which rack is engaged by a gear 19 mounted to rotate with gear shaft 20. Gear shaft 20 is supported in brackets 21 fastened to each bed post 1 and serving to hold the operating mechanism in place. The end of the gear shaft is provided with a pinionQQ engaged by worm .23, the latter being carried by a shaft 24; suitably journaled in gear bracket 25 fastened to one of the bed-posts as illustrated. This bracket is provided with suitable gearing 26 for rotating the worm, and a crank handle 27 for revolving the gears. Any suitable means may be employed if desired, for enclosing the gears of the entire mechanism so as to avoid injury or damage to the bed clothing.

In the operation of the device, rotary movement is imparted to gears 19 when the crank 27 is turned and the meshing of gears 19 with the toothed racks of. the sectors causes the latter to be adjusted vertically in either an up or down direction. Assuming the parts to be relatively disposed as disclosed in the full lines of Figure 1 it is obvious that the initial movement of the sectors will be upwardly in an arc of a circle as indicated by the dotted lines, thus inclining the head end of the bedding and providing a suitable rest whereby the occupant of the bed is more easily brought to a sitting up position. It is also to be noted that the operating mechanism is located on one side of the bed rather than at the back; being sup ported by a corner bed-post and consequently is located where it may be handily operated. It is possible with this arrangement, to adjust the head frame to almost any angle from the horizontal to the vertical, thus enabling a person to fully be raised to a sitting position or merely elevated slightly at the head portion.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings have reference to what might be considered to be the approved or preed on a bedstead adjacent the head thereof,

lifting elements between the sidevrails of the said bed and adjusted vertically thereof, said elements normally engaging and supporting the adjustable frame in a horizontal position,

bracket members carriedbythe head posts,

a shaft lllOllIltQCl in said bracket members and extending transversely of the bed, pinions carried by said shaft for engaging with the lifting elements, a third pinion carried on one end of the said shaft adjacent one of the head posts, a frame'connected to the post and adjacent the said third pinion, and

means mounted in the frame for driving the said third pinion. i

2. An adjustable head for beds comprising a head frame adapted to be mounted on a bedstead for adjustment vertically in the are of a circle, lifting elements pivotally supported between the side rails of the bed for movement vertically therebetween, rail engaging stops on said head frame for limiting the downward movement of the latter, bracket members carried by the head post, a shaft mounted in the said bracket members and extending transversely of the bed, pinions carried by the said shaft for engagement with the lifting elements, a third pinion carried on one end of the said shaft adj acent one of the head posts, a frame con-, nected to the posts adjacent the said third pinion, a vertical wormshaft mounted in the frame for engagement with the pinion and having a beveled gear keyed at the opposite end thereof, and a horizontally disposed crank shaft having a bevel gear for engagement with the first mentioned beveled gear.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLIFFORD G. ALGUIRE. lVitnesses:

G. A. SrENsLANn, G. O. RUNKEL. 

